RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15289, 16 July 1923, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

. A WIN FOR WAIKATO. THAMES VALLEY DEFEATED, GOOD CONTEST AT STEELE PARK. Though the weather -was dull and threatening on Saturday afternoon, rain, fortunately, hold off, and the large crowd of patrons who attended at Steele Park was able to take its football under satisfactory conditions. Two representative games wore •■'ayed. A Hamilton fifteen defeated 1 by 20 points to 7, and in the '■■■■■ v;dkato v. Thames Val>:y representative game that followfd the former won by 15 points to 6. WAIKATO 15 9. THAMES VALLEY 6. The teams were:— Waikato. Castles (captain); Beaver, Stewart, Bayly; Johnstone, Kemp; Wright; Hooper, Warren, Carter, Keightlcy, Gray, Sowmau, Cotter and Bishop Crover). Thames Valley.—Poland; Campbell, Malloy, Sampson; Williams, Mooney; Hudson; Nelson, Fisher, Maclill, Rosenfelt, nobinson, McLeay (rover). Thames Valley attacked to the south. Castles was penalised for lying on the ball. Poland's shot went over, but there" was a man in front, and a scrum was ordered. Waikato then went to the attack, but dropped passing was against them. Wright, Kemp, Stewart, and Beaver indulged in a nice passing bout to the east, but sure tackling met it. Stewart got a lucky pick up from the bounce of a pass-out, and, beating two men, threw loose to the west, "where Kemp was handy, and, gathering well, the second five-eighth dashed across for a good try. Cotter missed the goal. Waikato .......v.. 3 Thames Valley ■ • 0 Poland defended well for the- visitors, and a cool take and kick by Beaver kept the home team advancing. Bayly was fed on the short side west, but sure tackling stayed the threequarter's progress. A breakaway by Malloy was called back for an infringement. Keightley advanced to the east from a dash by Kemp in which the five-eighth held on too long. Beaver received, but booted over-hard, and the visitors forced. Poland's use of the touch was a factor in the visitors' favour several times. Sowman was ruled offside at midileld when the advantage was at the time to the visitors, who had three men supporting the ball holder. An over-hard kick by Stewart nullified Waikato's efforts shortly after. Sowman and Garter broke away at the western twentyfive, but the former was detected obstructing. Castles nailed the opposing wing three-quarter, Samson, well when the latter made a dash over the eastern half-way, and Johnston cleared to the touch. Williams snapped up, and his progress looked dangerous, but the defence was sure, and the quarter ended with the visitors attacking for the second time in the spell. Hooper led a line dash for Waikato on the resumption of the attack, but Poland went to his duty resolutely. The visitors heeled from a scrum east, but the opopsing forwards were round on Hudson before the half could operate. Waikato continued to have the best of matters, but over-exertion , from a line-out gave the defenders a chance which they seized, and closed the movement by forcing. A, clever mark held Bishop and Warren off in a clearing effort from the home twenty-five along midfield. Smart work by the visiting breakaway saw Wright in trouble, hut the home half eventually found ffie touch to the wes,tem half-way. From a penalty awarded at this point in the play Malloy had an unavailing goal shot. Stewart, Hooper and Warren came into a movement which brought trouble to the visitors, but Warren was ruled against, unjustifiably, for offside play. Hudson, Mooney and Williams endeavoured to open up the attack, but Johnstone cleared. Then Mooney made a great dash at the nor-easter« corner, but the visiting back knocked the ball on. From the scrum Bishop, the home rover, obstructed the at- ■ tackers' half, and a try was awarded. The goal shot missed. Thames Valley S Waikato ■ 3

Following tue kick-out Malloy dashed on to a kick in the direction of the home full-back, hut Castles was equal to the occasion. In the scrum work the visitors had always the upper hand, and were not to be denied. Mooney drove in upon the defenders' passing, and then Beaver failed to do his work at the northwest corner. Castles next dashed up, but the ball was kicked away from the home full back, and Mooney scored. Malloy's shot, though good, was unsuccessful. Thames Valley ........ 6 Waikato 3 Wright sent his backs away smartly from a scrum, and the ball passed east to Bayly, but the wing threequarter was blocked. From the. immediate play Wright, the home halfback, marked, and goaled nicely. Waikato 6 Thames Valley 6 Bishop made a dash for Waikato, .. but failed to pass-out, and blocked a movement as a result. The Second Spell. • Waikato attacked in the north-west ' corner from the kick-out, and a penalty was awarded, but Cotter's shot failed. Across east the.home backs were seen .in action, but the passing was too "close, and was soon smothered. From a scrum at the north-eastern corner the ball was kicked out to Stewart, -and the home centre neatly dropped a goal from the field. Waikato .... 10 Thames Valley 6 The attack remained in favour of the home team, and Malloy marked behin.l Ms goal on one occasion when Castles ;ross-kicked from a penalty. Keightly narked, just above the eastern half, out failed badly with his goal shot. Bayly was shortly noted for a great one-handed gather and dash from halfway to the visitors' twenty-live, where a penalty was awarded for illegal tactics, but Johnstone's kick, though good, failed to add to the score. Cray was'ruled against in.a home advance beyond the half-way. Johnstone then fed out, and Beaver handled well, but the wing three-quarter ran out of bounds in the short room at his disposal. A period of desultory play followed, in which there were many infringements, Waikato being the chief offenders. Waikato next secured a good try, Johnstone feeding out smartly in face of the opposing forwards. The centre sent out to Beaver east, and the three-quarter ran on, and fed in again to Stewart, who scored without opposition, and Cotter converted with a sound kick. Waikato •-•• 1"> Thames Valley 6 The final quarter was entered on Immediately. Thames Valley attacked along west, but Beaver turned them off with a kick. Play swayed between the twenty-fives for a term. ihe visitors' showing up in the ,'g"|akaway. Bayly, on one occasion, sarg/ywell for

the home team when Kemp was badly cornered. Bayly again made a noted dash through the centre of the visiting hacks across midfield, but Poland nailed him eventually. Play was principally confined (o the forwards at this stage, but the scrum work was anything but decisive. Mooney turned off a home pressure with a kick to the western twenty-five, and then Castles got a line on the full to give the visitors' further advantage. Hooper dribbled nicely along touch in effecting a clearing through his western twentyfive to half-way. Gray and Sowman led a subsequent drive into the opposition's territory, but a speculator got the defenders clear finally. At the south-eastern corner Bayly dived for a try, but was held up. Willi Waikato still" attacking Wright opened out smartly from the line-out, Kemp cut in well, and Stewart ran on, but the centre's pass-out to Beaver was too indifferent to afford the wing a reasonable opportunity. The visitors hurriedly changed the situation, but Wright stopped the movement m praiseworthy fashion. Over at the north-western corner the visitors went over, but the ball was re-called for out-of-bounce, and a kick relieved the pressure on the defenders. The visitors were pressing hard when time was called with the scores:— Waikato --• 15 Thames Valley G Mr Bryden was referee.

HAMILTON (20) v. RAGLAN (7). The teams were :■ —■ Hamilton. —Mathqson; C. Clarkln, Marcroft, Littlewood; Peach, Gibson; Crawford; Fordyce, Adams, Barford, Monagetti, Johnstone, Kempthorne, Charleston and S. Clarkin. Haglan.—Tray; Davis, Hilton, Galvin; Tai, O'Neill; Wilkes; Moore, Billington, Sweetman, Whati, Tai, Peart, Brown and Pooley (rover). The quality of the football in this game was not very high, especially that presented by the ' town team. There was too much scrambling play, and- very little concerted work. Gibson, Littlewood and Matheson being the best of the backs. Haglan several times got on spirited dashes, but. they invajriaiMy lacked finish. Monagetti was the first to score for Hamilton, cutting off .a pass out by O'Neill, and running through from half-way. Peach missed the goal. The home backs endeavoured to make progress by passing, but they generally crowded the wings, and prevented the maximum of success. In the second quarter S. Clarkin scored, and Peach made a good, but unavailing, attempi at goal. A little later on Johnstone added the homo team's third try, which Gibson made the most of. Tai had an ineffectual goal shot for Raglan,'and the visiting five-eighth was showing up in attack. Within the first few minutes of the resumption ,of play after the interval S. Clarkin secured,a try, and brought Hamilton's tally to 11 —0. Tray and W. Tai put in a good attacking movement for Raglan, from which Tray scored, but W. Tai's kick missed. Gibson put on another try for Hamilton, but S. Clarkin's goal was unsuccessful.

In the final spell Raglan attacked hotly, Hilton showing up. in many of their movements. Cutting off a pass at half-way C. Clarkin outpaced the opposition, and scored, but Monagetti missed an easy shot. Raglan were not to be denied, and, working down into homo territory W. Tai dropped a goal from the field, the game terminating shortly with the scores: — Hamilton 20 Raglan 7 Mr Dunsford was referee.

CAMBRIDGE WINS PEACE CUP. DEFEATS THAMES IN THE MUD. By Telegraph.—Press Association. THAMES, Saturday. Played in a howling easterly gale and heavy rain, with the ground practically flooded, Cambridge beat Thames by six points to nil for the Peace Cup. JUNIORS AT CAMBRIDGE. MORRINSVH.DE v. CAMBRIDGE. A junior match between representatives of the Morrinsville and Cambridge Rugby Union was played at Cambridge on Saturday. 4 A very strenuously .fought game ended in a draw, each side scoring six points. The weather was threatening, but very little rain fell during th.fi game. There was a fair attendance of spectators, and the game was in good order. Following are the names of the players taking part:— Morrinsville (blue and black). — McLachlan; Warner, Murphy, Johnstone; Kieley, Cameron, Bodmin; O'Brien, Parsons, Buchanan, Barlow, Thomas, Edmunds, Fisk and Law. Cambridge (blue and white). — Basham; Wood, Dagg, Tabb; Andresen, Marsh; Marx; forwards, Henley, Edwards, Tyre, Douglas, Hicks, Hall, Cowan and Kelly. The teams were fairly evenly matched as regards weight. Cambridge kicked off with the wind behind them. The ball came back, and from a scrum Marsh failed badly, and the Morrinsville forwards ran over the Cambridge backs, and should have scored, but for kicking too hard. Cambridge then took a hand at. the offensive, and pressed the Blue and Blacks very hard, until from some close play the Cambridge forwards broke away, with the ball at their toe, and, crossing the line, Edwards scored the first try for Cambridge. Basham failed to convert. Cambridge 3, Morrinsville 0. From the kick off Cambridge soon began to press down into their opponents' twenty-five, and there was an anxious few minutes for the Blue and Blacks until the Cambridge team got too anxious, and were penalised, bringing Morrinsville relief. Morrinsville then attacked vigorously. The bail was, moving about rapidly, until Fisk (Morrinsville) got possession, and breaking clear of the pack, made a good run, kicking short over the heads of the backs, but Woods cleverly came to the rescue, and saved what looked like a certain score for Morrinsville. The Cambridge forwards were playing a great game, and made matters very hard for their opponents' backs, who tried to get some open work going. The play was confined to midtlold for some time until the forwards came with a fine dribbling rush, Hicks scoring the second try for Cambridge. Marx failed to convert. Cambridge 6, Morrinsville 0. Soon after the kick-off play was drawn to one side of the Held, when a Morrinsville forward kicked across the field with good judgment, and left Buchanan a clear run in, and he scored the first try for Morrinsville. The same player failed to convert. Cambridge 0, Morrinsville 3. Morrinsville were now waking up, and shortly after the kick off Warner put in a fine run, and beating the Cambridge backs scored again for Morrinsville. Warner's kick failed. Cambridge 6, Morrinsville f>. The bell then went for half-time. During the second half of the game frth sides tried hard to score, but

they were too evenly matched, and the game ended in a draw. Mr A. R. Thomas was referee. Third Grade. A third grade match between the combined teams of High School and Cadets and Leamington was played as a curtain raiser to the rep match, and resulted in a win for the combined team by 11 to 0. Mr H. Vauso was referee.

COUNTRY MATCHES. MORRINSVILLE. The semi-final of the Rugby Cup fixtures was played in driving rain. Waitoa beat Terriers by 9 to 8, a last minute victory, after the Terriers had led by 8 points from the first quarter. Glett'and McQuarters scored tries, and Peebles kicked a goal for Waitoa, whale Warner and Mclntyre scored tries and O'Brien converted one for the Terriers. MATAMATA. The Matamata Union's competitions on Saturday were continued. Wairere defeated Matamata by 3 to 0, and Walton beat Wairere by 10 to 0. The two winning teams are the only ones with a chance of winning the senior championship. Walton forfeited to Matamata Juniors in the junior competition. Matamata have only to score one more point in three matches to secure the junior championship. Waharoa Juniors defeated Wairere by 5 to 3. WAIPA UNION. The second,round of the Waipa Rugby Union's senior championship was completed on Saturday in bleak and cold weather, though no rain fell, but the standard was no better than previously. Plrongia v. Ngahapo. Pirongia won the toss, and played with the wind, and at once assumed the aggressive, but combination was again lacking. ' After some desultory play G. Smith scored a try for Pirongia, which was not converted. In the second quarter Pirongia were given a free kick in close proximity to the Ngahape goal, and S. Smith made no mistake with the kick. Pirongia 6, Ngahape 0. The second half-was a repetition of the first, though Ngahape played up well, and made things much more interesting, but the game ended without score. Pirongia were decidedly lucky to win, as Ngahape only had a scratch team, being half composed of juniors, Prendeville and Barton,< amongst others, being absentees, but Pirongia had a day off, the handling of the backs being weak. Position of Teams. The following is how the teams

There is one more round to play, but the leaders will not meet till the last match.

AUCKLAND MATCHES. AUCKLAND, Saturday. Marist 0.8., 10, v. Grammar 0.8., 8. Grafton 9, v. University 9. Suburbs 33, v. Eden 0. Ponsonby 3, v. College Rifles 0. North Shore 9, v. Newton 3. MAORIS v. OTAGO. DUNEDIN, Saturday. The Maori team met Otago on Saturday in. perfect weather. In the first spell the Maoris put up 13 points to Otago's five, and when the final whistle blew the scores stood: Maoris 21, Otago 14. MANAWATU v. MARLBOROUGH. PALMERSTON N., Saturday. The Marlborough touring team met Manawatu on Saturday, and were decisively beaten by 22 points to 6. SOUTHER MATCHES. WELLINGTON, Saturday. Athletics 19, beat Poneke 3. Petone 17, beat Wellington 12. Marist 6, beat Berhampore 3. 'Varsity 27, beat Hutt 6. CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. 'Varsity 6, drew with Marist 6. Albion 8, beat Old Boys 6. Merivale 8, beat Linwood 3. Christchurch 26, beat SydenhamLyttelton.

stand at present: P. W. L. D. Pts Pirongia .... Te Awamutu. Ngahape .... G 6 0 6 5 4 o 0 1 4 6 1 1 11 9 4 0